Training and Development Strategies for Nurses' Competence in Managing pain: A Pilot Study

<i>Background</i>: Nurses need training and development to provide safe and effective pain treatment. Although nurses get pain management training, little is known about how nursing leadership improves nurses' competencies in diverse nursing care domains. Implementing training and development techniques might be difficult since nurses must apply their learning to their specialty. Researchers needed this pilot study to examine research methodologies, find problems, and improve the research instrument before the major study. <i>Aim: </i>This preliminary study aimed to explore nursing leadership strategies for training and developing nurses' competence in managing pain and improving the reliability and validity of the main study data. <i>Methods:</i> The sequential mixed-methods approach began with descriptive quantitative methods. In this initial quantitative phase, 10% of a proportionate stratified probability sampling of nurse managers and clinical facilitators was used to generate these pilot study results. <i>Results: </i>This pilot study revealed three main training and development strategies that nurse managers and clinical facilitators employ to ensure nurses' pain management competence. These encompass (1) the four foremost on-the-job pain management training and development strategies such as preceptorship, career development, in-service training, and hands-on training; (2) the four topmost off-the-job strategies that include group discussions, e-learning, competency-based training, and simulation; (and (3) nurse leaders' distinctive pain management training and development strategies. The survey instrument demonstrated stability and consistency with a Cronbach's alpha (α) score of 0.66 for the initial assessment and 0.79 for the second assessment, requiring adjustments before the main study. <i>Conclusion:</i> The findings of this pilot study help inform the modifications needed before executing the main study and healthcare institutions' training and development strategies that play a crucial role in enhancing nurses’ competency, which is essential for delivering high-quality pain nursing interventions that can be employed by nursing leadership. <i>Nursing Management Implications:</i> These pain management nursing training and development initiatives can improve patient experience and satisfaction outcomes, nurses' competence, and healthcare facilities' excellence.